£5BN COST OF REPEAT OFFENDERS

50,000 'one-man crimewaves'

- BY STIAN ALEXANDER

AN army of "one-man crimewaves" costs Britain more than £5billion a year.

Around 50,000 of our worst repeat offenders rack up the massive sum, with the bill including costs of fixing criminal damage, shoplifting, insurance, court and policing costs.

It also covers bills to councils, the NHS and social services.

Charity Revolving Doors, which helps people avoid crime, found there is a "key group" of people repeatedly collared for low-level offences.